Walking Tour-89 South Main Street-Walking Tour
(West Side of Street)

There apparently was no building on this site until the turn of the century. According to tax records the assessed value of the property remained much the same from 1872, when the Map of the Village had no building footprint on this site (or on the properties to the north or the south). The owner of the three properties had been Nelson Abbey since 1848. Abbey owned the property until 1900 when William Hammond became the owner. The house apparently was built for/by Edward Drake in 1903 when the assessed value jumped from $100 to $175. According to an item in a 9/10/1903 issue of the Oakland County Post, "Edward Drake has his new house completed and moved his family late the same last week." (The assessed value also more then doubled between 1911 & 1914 indicating more changes.) Architecturally, the original structure was a simple Vernacular Style farmhouse, a two story with single story wing building. When the house was remodeled in the 1990s, asbestos shingle siding which had been applied over the original wood clapboard was removed, the windows were altered (some were completely removed) and the Queen Anne style details were applied.

Official Property Description:

• Lots 10 & 11 Block 26 of Nelson W. Clark's Original Plat of the Village in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 20 of Independence Township
• Lot 66 of the Assessors Plat.

Significant Property History:

[A Synopsis Of Property Transfers Derived From Abstracts
(when available) And Periodic Changes In Ownership Or
Assessed Value Derived From Township Tax Records]

• Note: All the properties currently located in the Historic District were originally part of a tract registered by Butler Holcomb with the federal government on October 22, 1831. Thus, abstracts for these properties, when they exist, show the original transfer to be from the United States to Butler Holcomb and may also include references to then President Andrew Jackson.
• 1844 Silas Smith, Lot 10 Block 26, assessed value $140.
• 1846 Jeremiah Clark, Lots 11 & 12, Block 26, assessed value $5.
• 1847 Jeremiah Clark, Lots 11 & 12 Block 26, assessed value $10.
• 1848 N. Abbey, Lots 10, 11 and 12 Block 26, assessed value $15.
• 1850 Nelson Abby/Abbey, Lots 10, 11 & 12, assessed value $15.
• 1855 Nelson Abbey, Lots 10, 11 & 12, assessed value $90.
• 1872 Map of the Village has no building footprint on this site, owner, N. Abbey.
• 1891 Wm. Hammond, Lots 10 & 11, assessed value $100.
• 1896 as above, see map.
• 1900 Wm. Hammond, Lots 10 & 11, assessed value $100.
• 1903 Edward and Clarence Drake, Lots 10 & 11, assessed value $175 and a piece to the west.
• 1903 A 9/10/1903 issue of the Oakland County Press noted " Edward Drake has his hew house completed and moved his family late the same last week."
• 1905 as above, assessed value $350.
• 1908 as above, assessed value $450.
• 1911 as above, assessed value $450.
• 1914 as above, assessed value $1000.
• 1920 as above, assessed value $1500.
• 1924 Edward Drake estate, as above, assessed value $1700.
• 1925 Elizabeth Drake.
• 1933 Bert Landi.